Chapter 664: From Egypt to Poland
France's control over Tunisia was already a reality, but gaining recognition from the Ottoman Empire effectively eliminated any lingering disputes. From now on, Tunisia would indisputably be French territory.
Talleyrand negotiated further, eventually raising France's preferential purchasing rights to 70% and securing a series of favorable trade terms. With this, the Ottoman Empire's drift toward Britain was effectively reversed.
Sultan Selim III then invited Talleyrand to join a banquet. As they walked past the vast swimming pool in the palace, surrounded by officials, Talleyrand suddenly adopted a worried expression.
"Your Majesty, I fear that Egypt may struggle to fully carry out your orders."
After a lengthy setup, this was the core of Talleyrand's mission.
Selim frowned slightly. Although his confidence wavered, he waved his hand dismissively with an air of pride:
"Rest assured, they would not dare disobey the will of the Sultan; they would face divine punishment."
"That eases my concerns," Talleyrand said with an exaggerated sigh of relief. Then, as though struck by a sudden thought, he leaned closer to the Sultan and whispered,
"Your Majesty, this may be the perfect time to bring those rebels to heel."
"I don't understand your meaning."
"The conflicts between Murad, Ibrahim, and the local Beys in Egypt are intensifying. Even in Paris, people say that if an army were dispatched now to eradicate the disloyal elements, the Sultan could relive the glories of Hassan Pasha's reign!"
Egypt was nominally an Ottoman province, and the Sultan appointed a governor, the Pasha, to oversee it. However, for centuries, real power had been held by the Mamluk military elite.
In recent years, with the death of the Ottoman general Hassan Pasha—who had managed to temporarily defeat the Mamluks in a localized conflict and recover overdue taxes—the Mamluks had seized full control of Egypt. They even began appointing themselves as Pashas while restricting the Ottoman-appointed governor to his residence, guarded by Mamluk soldiers.
But the Mamluks were in decline. Internal strife had erupted, with central and local leaders vying for power and tensions rising between the Mamluks and religious authorities. Historically, Napoleon exploited this infighting to crush the Mamluks and seize control of Egypt.
Selim III glanced at the Frenchman meaningfully.
"The northern beast watches us closely. Should we deploy an army to Egypt, they would immediately howl and descend upon the Empire, tearing away a piece of it."
He did not mention Austria, which was also eyeing Ottoman territories from Wallachia to Bulgaria. This was why the Ottomans hesitated to intervene in Egypt.
Historically, it was only after Napoleon's forces crushed the Mamluks and withdrew under British naval pressure that the Ottomans moved in to reclaim an emptied Egypt.
Joseph Bonaparte was determined not to repeat Napoleon's mistake of "making a wedding dress for others." Instead, he sought to push the Ottomans into depleting the Mamluks, allowing France to claim the rewards later.
Talleyrand quickened his pace, creating some distance from the Ottoman officials, and whispered to the Sultan:
"I bring vital intelligence for Your Majesty. For at least the next year, Russia will be too preoccupied to look southward."
Selim III's eyes flickered with surprise but quickly returned to composure.
"How can you be so certain of Russia's actions?"
Talleyrand didn't know how the intelligence had been obtained, but the Crown Prince was confident that Russia would invade Poland, and he trusted that judgment implicitly.
"Your Majesty, this comes from our intelligence operatives in the Winter Palace. Within six months to a year, Russia will launch a full-scale invasion of Poland.
"But I assure you, they will find themselves mired in a grueling conflict."
The Sultan turned sharply to face him, his gaze intense.
Talleyrand pressed on:
"If you doubt me, send scouts to observe Russian troop movements and supply stockpiles near Poland."
Selim III conferred briefly with a fair-skinned eunuch before nodding at Talleyrand. His sources confirmed the Frenchman's intelligence. Yet the Sultan remained measured.
"Even if your prediction is accurate, launching an offensive against Egypt would still be excessively risky."
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Talleyrand replied, nodding. "It would be risky with the Empire's current forces. But what if you had 2,000 Topçu troops newly trained with full French equipment?"
The Sultan hesitated mid-step, visibly intrigued.
"And," Talleyrand added, "these troops would be fully outfitted with French-standard gear."
Selim III's excitement briefly broke through his composure. He spoke in a low tone:
"If the Empire moves to reclaim Egypt, but Poland is defeated before our campaign succeeds?"
Talleyrand inwardly rejoiced. The Sultan had raised the exact issue he wanted to address.
With a solemn tone, he replied,
"Your Majesty, that is why you must support Poland as much as possible in resisting Russia's advance."
"That is out of the question," Selim III declared firmly. "The Empire cannot risk war with Russia for Poland's sake."
Given the Empire's precarious state, provoking Russia was unthinkable.
Talleyrand shook his head with a faint smile.
"Your Majesty, you misunderstand. Poland is impoverished. Providing them with basic logistical support would significantly bolster their resistance."
The Sultan frowned. "The Empire no longer shares a border with Poland. How could we deliver supplies?"
After the Treaty of Jassy ceded Crimea to Russia, the two nations no longer shared a direct border.
"Send the supplies via the Black Sea to the mouth of the Dnieper River. From there, Crimean resistance groups can transport them upriver into Poland," Talleyrand explained.
Even he found this plan unusual, but the Crown Prince had insisted on convincing the Sultan to follow through.
After a long pause, Selim III finally said,
"After the banquet, present the details to me in full."
The Birth of the Steamship Era
On the southern bank of the Seine, a strange vessel floated quietly. Its hull was painted white, with only two slender masts at the bow and stern. A thick chimney towered in the middle of the deck.
Standing on a wooden platform by the dock, Joseph, surrounded by hundreds of nobles and journalists, ceremonially swung a bottle of wine attached to a long rope.
The bottle shattered against the hull, scattering wine as the crowd erupted into cheers and lively music.
Turning to face the audience, Joseph announced in a loud, clear voice:
"The Boroscaphe is officially launched! May its coal reserves never run dry!"
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